On Saturday, France stated that a French national detained in Mali is a recognized member of its embassy in Bamako, dismissing the accusations against him as “baseless.”
Malian authorities said they recently arrested Yann Vezilier along with two generals and other military figures, accusing them of involvement in an alleged plot to destabilize the country.
In a statement released Thursday, the ruling junta described Vezilier as a French intelligence operative who had coordinated soldiers and civil society members.
France’s foreign ministry countered that it is engaging with Malian officials to clear up what it called a “misunderstanding” and to secure his swift release.
The ministry further stressed that Vezilier’s detention breaches the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Meanwhile, Mali’s opposition in exile has rejected the junta’s claims, calling the alleged destabilization plot fabricated and demanding that evidence be made public.
